Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-12-15

and didn't get drunk enough to lose it
Open her up and let the captain see.
take the irons of this mani! com.
manded the captain as he waved the
sachcl down. ..If he doesn't capi:s:
before dinner he's not the man l talk
him to be-
.'Aye! he shall pay for putting TIT
irons on to me. Why don't you taxi
'em of.
/ Was Idrea,aing? Had made fool o
myself? Had this man confessed muir
der to mc' was staggered for thu
moment. Then tore at the satchel and
burst off the poor old lock. and al
the recepticle dew open l emptie'i it:
! contents on the floor Gold, green
backs. silver. bonds and jewelry!
Curse your growled the prisoner,
as he turned away.
The captain turned rs pale as death.
These were the proofs, and he stared
ut them for u full minute before he
could say:
"Well, this IS a go! l shall lock you
up. Short"
The man was registered and taken
down stairs. ana then we counted up
the contents of the sachel and made
out value of over $4,000. When
this had been completed l went out
after Rider. and inside of an hour he
was behind the bars He went all to
pieces as soon as charged him with
having put up the job for Short to
carry out, but denied it in tine most
vigorous manner
''Short has been telling for year. ;"
he said. ''what his uncle out in the
country was going to do for him. A
few weeks ago the old man found out
what bad pill his nephew was. and
since then Short has been up tree.
He told me a week ago that he'd have
some Of their money one way or the
other, and when he talked about killing
and robbing. l did my best to put the
idea out of his head. He softencd up
bit. and l supposed he had given over.
If Charley Short says l ever advised
him to murder and rob, or that l have
had my eyes on him for week past,
he's the biggest liar on earth"
Well, curiously enough, we had
murderer on hand without murder
That is. no crime had yet been report
ed. l had secured the murderer with
out a hunt. 1t was not so easy to find
the murder. A telegram was sent to
the agent at the station where Short
had boarded the train, and he replied
that he had heard of no crime. It
four o clock in the afternoon before he
sent dispatch. saying that an old
couple. living about three miles away,
had been found in their house with
their heads chopped to pieces with an
axe. That was the crime for which
Short was guilty and for which he was
tried. When he knew that he was in
for it he turned boaster. and felt him
self a hero. He was delighted TO give
me all the particulars. He said:
Il lived with Uncle and Aunt Desbro
until l was of age. Indeed. l was an
adopted son, both my own parents be-
ing dead. l came into the city nine
years ago as Il dry-goods clerk After
Il time l got in with some bad fellows,
lost my place. and rather went to the
dogs. For the last three years l have
been gambler, boxer, bartender and
man. Uncle went back on
ME good while ago, refusing to give
me dollar. He had in his hands
money which honestly belonged to me,
for had worked hard for him for thir-
teen years. went out there the other
day 10 see if he would not give me
eight hundred dollars to buy an inter-
est in the saloon. Aunt Mary was for
giving it to me. but the old man was as |
ugly rs Turk. We got into wrangle
ut the suppcr-table, and he ordered me |
out of the house.
Il went" said Short after a pause,
land it was only after that that l got |
the idea Of robbing the house. The |
old man never banked dollar, bu. |
KEEP: every thing in bureau in his |
bedroom. l sat down in fence cor
ner on the highway. and thought it all |
over. l made up my mind that l
would enter the house after they got
to sleep. and steal what l could lay
hands on. l did go in about eleven
D clock. gaining access by kitchen
window. l took the axe in with me
to intimidate them in case was dis
While my uncle was sixty
years old. he was vigorous, hearty
man. and capable of making strong
light. l don't know whether he sus-
pectcd l might come back. but l had
not yet reached the bedroom when
some slight noise 1 made reused him
nut of bed. and he struck light and
discovered me.
Il want it to stand in court that he
vas the AGGRESSION. When he saw me
lie yelled out to know what l was do
ng there. 1 told him l was bound
md determined to have eight hundred